The Same. -
OSM. Yet I behold her- Now no more.
Turn your Lights inward, Eyes, and look
Upon my Thought; so shall you still behold her.
It wonnot be; O, impotence of Sight!
Mechanick Sense, which to exterior Objects
Owest thy Faculty.-
Not seeing of Election, but Necessity.
Thus do our eyes, like common Mirrours,
Successively reflect succeeding Images;
Not what they would, but must; a Star, or Toad:
Just as the Hand of Chance administers.
Not so the Mind, whose undetermin'd View
Revolves, and to the present adds the past:
Essaying further to Futurity;
But that in vain. I have Almeria here
At once, as I have seen her often;
I'll muse on that, lest I exceed in thinking. -
Enter ZARA attended by SELIM. -
ZARA. See where he stands, folded and fix'd to Earth,
Stiff'ning in Thought; a Statue among Statues.
Why, cruel Osmyn, dost thou fly me thus?
Is it well done? Is this then the Return
For Fame, for Honour, and for Empire lost?
But what is loss of Honour, Fame and Empire?
Is this the Recompence of Love?
Why dost thou leave my Eyes, and fly my Arms,
To find this place of Horrour and Obscurity?
Am I more loathsome to thee, than the Grave,
That thou dost seek to shield thee there, and shun
My Love? But to the Grave I'll follow thee-
He looks not, minds not, hears not; barbarous Man,
Am I neglected thus? Am I despis'd?
Not heard! Ungrateful Osmyn.
OSM. Ha, Zara!
ZARA. Yes, Traytor; Zara, lost, abandon'd Zara,
Is a regardless Suppliant, now, to Osmyn.
The Slave, the Wretch that she redeem'd from Death,
Disdains to listen now, or look on Zara.
OSM. Far be the Guilt of such Reproaches, from me;
Lost in my self, and blinded by my Thoughts,
I saw you not.
ZARA. Now, then you see me-
But with such dumb and thankless Eyes you look,
Better I was unseen, than seen thus coldly.
OSM. What would you from a Wretch, that came to mourn;
And only for his Sorrows chose this Solitude?
Look round; Joy is not here, nor Cheerfulness.
You have pursu'd Misfortune, to its Dwelling,
Yet look for Gaiety and Gladness there.
ZARA. Inhumane! why, why dost thou wrack me thus?
And with Perverseness, from the Purpose, answer?
What is't to me, this House of Misery?
What Joy do I require? if thou dost mourn,
I come to mourn with thee; to share thy Griefs,
And give thee in Exchange my Love.
OSM. O that's the greatest Grief- I am so poor,
I have not wherewithal to give again.
ZARA. Thou hast a Heart, though 'tis a savage one;
Give it me as it is; I ask no more
For all I've done, and all I have endur'd:
For saving thee, when I beheld thee first,
Driven by the Tide upon my Country's Coast,
Pale and expiring, drench'd in briny Waves,
Thou and thy Friend, 'till my Compassion sound thee;
Compassion! scarce will it own that Name, so soon,
So quickly was it Love; for thou wert Godlike
Ev'n then. Kneeling on Earth, I loos'd my Hair,
And with it dry'd thy wat'ry Cheeks; chafing
Thy Temples, till reviving Blood arose,
And like the morn vermilion'd o'er thy Face.
O Heav'n! how did my Heart rejoice and ake,
When I beheld the Day-break of thy Eyes,
And felt the Balm of thy respiring Lips!
OSM. O call not to my Mind what you have done,
It sets a Debt of that Account before me,
Which shews me Bankrupt even in Hopes.
ZARA. The faithful Selim, and my Women know
The Dangers which I 'tempted to conceal you.
You know how I abus'd the credulous King;
What Arts I us'd to make you pass on him,
When he receiv'd you as the Prince of Fez;
And as my Kinsman, honour'd and advanc'd you.
O, why do I relate what I have done?
What did I not? Was't not for you this War
Commenc'd? Not knowing who you were, nor why
You hated Manuel, I urg'd my Husband
On to this Invasion; where he was lost,
Where all is lost, and I am made a Slave.
Look on me now, from Empire fall'n to Slavery;
Think on my Suff'ring first, then look on me;
Think on the Cause of all, then view thy self:
Reflect on Osmyn, and then look on Zara,
The fall'n, the lost, the Captive Zara.
What then is Osmyn?
OSM. A fatal Wretch- a huge stupendous Ruine,
That tumbling on its Prop, crush'd all beneath,
And bore contiguous Pallaces to Earth.
ZARA. Yet thus, thus fall'n, thus levell'd with the vilest
If I have gain'd thy Love, 'tis glorious Ruine;
Ruine, 'tis still to reign, and to be more
A Queen; for what are Riches, Empire, Power,
But larger Means to gratifie the Will?
The Steps on which we tread, to rise, and reach
Our Wish; and that obtain'd, down with the Scaffolding
Of Sceptres, Crowns, and Thrones; they've serv'd their End
And are, like Lumber, to be left and scorn'd.
OSM. Why was I made the Instrument, to throw
In Bonds, the Frame of this exalted Mind?
ZARA. We may be free; the Conquerour is mine;
In Chains unseen, I hold him by the Heart,
And can unwind, or strain him as I please.
Give me thy Love, I'll give thee Liberty.
OSM. In vain you offer, and in vain require
What neither can bestow. Set free your self,
And leave a Slave the Wretch that would be so.
ZARA. Thou canst not mean so poorly, as thou talk'st.
OSM. Alas, you know me not.
ZARA. Not who thou art;
But what, this last Ingratitude declares,
This groveling Baseness- Thou say'st true, I know
Thee not, for what thou art, yet wants a Name:
But something so unworthy, and so vile,
That to have lov'd thee, makes me yet more lost,
Than all the Malice of my other Fate.
Traitor, Monster, cold and perfidious Slave;
A Slave, not daring to be free! nor dares
To love above him, for 'tis dangerous:
'Tis that, I know; for thou dost look, with Eyes
Sparkling Desire, and trembling to possess.
I know my Charms have reach'd thy very Soul,
And thrill'd thee through with darted Fires; but thou
Dost fear so much, thou dar'st not wish. The King!
There, there's the dreadful Sound, the King's thy Rival!
SELIM. Madam, the King is here.
ZARA. As I could wish; by Heav'n I'll be reveng'd. -
Enter the KING, PEREZ, and Attendants. -
KING. Why does the Fairest of her Kind. withdraw
Her Shining from the Day, to gild this Scene
Of Death and Night? Ha! what Disorder's this?
Somewhat I heard of King and Rival mention'd.
What's he that dares be Rival to the King?
Or lift his Eyes to like, where I adore?
ZARA. There, he; your Prisoner, and that was my Slave.
KING. How? Better than my Hopes? Does she accuse him? [Aside.
ZARA. Am I become so low by my Captivity,
And do your Arms so lessen, what they conquer,
That Zara must be made the Sport of Slaves?
And shall the Wretch, whom yester Sun, beheld
Waiting my Nod, the Creature of my Lord,
And me, presume to Day to plead audacious Love,
And build bold Hopes, on my dejected Fate?
KING. Better for him to tempt the Rage of Heav'n,
And wrench the Bolt red-hissing from the Hand
Of him that thunders, than but think that Insolence.
'Tis daring for a God. Hence, to the Wheel
With that Ixion, who aspires to hold
Divinity embrac'd; to Whips and Prisons
Drag him with speed, and rid me of his Face
[Guards carry off OSMYN.
ZARA. Compassion led me to bemoan his State,
Whose former Faith had merited much more:
And through my Hopes in you, I promis'd Freedom
From his Chains; thence sprung his Insolence,
And what was Charity, he constru'd Love.
KING. Enough; his Punishment be what you please.
But let me lead you from this Place of Sorrow,
To one, where young Delights attend; and Joys
Yet new, unborn, and blooming in the Bud,
That wait to be full-blown at your Approach,
And spread like Roses to the Morning Sun:
Where, ev'ry Hour shall roll in circling Joys,
And Love, shall wing the tedious-wasting Day.
Life without Love is Load; and Time stands still:
What we refuse to him, to Death we give;
And then, then only, when we love, we live. [Ex. Omnes. -
